WGCU Connect!

113 Regional Getaways - Audio Live

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:26:00 GMT

113 Regional Getaways - Marco Island

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:24:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Chelle Koster Walton

Marco Island experiences mood swings from funky old Florida style to fashionable beach vacationing. Visitors can explore its historic side or use it as a launching point for on-the-water adventure in the nearby Ten Thousand Islands.

Resources:

Marco Island Area Chamber of Commerce

Greater Naples Marco Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau

Conservancy of Southwest Florida

113 Regional Getaways - Gasparilla Island

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:20:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Chelle Koster Walton

Wealthy industrialists first discovered the great getaway powers of Gasparilla Island. Phosphate shipping and the railroad built the delightful little town of Boca Grande. Tarpon fishing and the lovely Gasparilla Inn gave it a reputation for charmed vacationing that visitors can still enjoy today.

Resources:

Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce

Gasparilla Inn

Gasparilla Island State Park and Lighthouse

Lee County Visitors & Convention Bureau

113 Regional Getaways - Pine Island

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:16:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Chelle Koster Walton

For a look at the flipside to Southwest Florida’s beach islands, travel to a time and place known as Pine Island, where fishermen, artists, seafood houses, and intimate accommodations welcome visitors with something genuine.

Resources:

Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce

Florida’s Creative Coast

Randell Research Center

Lee County Visitors & Convention Bureau

112 Arts - Audio Live

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:43:00 GMT

112 Arts - Extraordinary Workshops

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:35:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Janina Birtolo

Want to take an art course but not interested in painting or drawing? The art leagues and associations in Southwest Florida are increasingly expanding their classes to include instruction in lesser known arts that fulfill a different artistic vision. Today, it’s as easy to find a workshop or course in stone sculpting or bead making as it is to explore traditional arts. Learn about the opportunities at the Art Center of Bonita Springs and get inspired!

Resources:

Art League of Bonita Springs

Art League of Marco Island

Lee County Alliance for the Arts

Naples Art Association

Seagrape Gallery, Charlotte County

Forum Topics:

112 Arts - Plein Air Painting

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:27:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Kristy Vaughn

A warm and sunny day provides the incentive for many regional artists to take their easel and canvas outdoors and paint in a style known as “Plein Air,” which is French for painting “in the open air.” Learn how anyone can get started in capturing Southwest Florida’s landscapes by taking a few classes, as well as observing professional artists while they work alfresco.

Resources:

Learn about Plein Air painting events across Florida.

Official site for Plein Air artist, William North.

Learn how to paint in the Plein Air at any of the following art clubs:

Cape Coral Art League

Big Arts, Sanibel Island

Fort Myers Beach Art Association, Fort Myers Beach

Naples Art Association

Forum Topics:

112 Arts - Art Cooperatives

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:16:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Janina Birtolo

Check out various venues where Southwest Florida artists pool together to retail their works of art. From the Seagrape Gallery in Punta Gorda to the Seaweed Gallery on Sanibel, artists find the right place to co-create and share in their creative wealth.

Resources:

United Arts Council of Collier County

Art League of Bonita Springs

Art League of Marco Island

Lee County Alliance for the Arts

Naples Art Association

Forum Topics:

111 Grassroots Activism - Audio Live

admin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:38:00 GMT

111 Grassroots Activism - Crushed by my Silence

admin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:37:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Rod Clarke

When they retired from medical practice a decade ago, Dr. William Lascheid and his wife Nancy, a nurse, their consciences wouldn't let them walk away from the working poor who needed help but didn't have health insurance. They opened the Neighborhood Health Clinic in Naples, which has utilized volunteer medical professionals and public donations to serve more than 25,000 people.

Resources:

St. Vincent DePaul Community Pharmacy

St. Vincent DePaul Community Health Clinic

Neighborhood Health Clinic (Naples)

Volunteers in Medicine

Forum Topics:

111 Grassroots Activism - Angels of Easy Street

admin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:35:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Rod Clarke

At the Corner of Easy Street and Gibraltar Road in Port Charlotte stands a beacon of hope to some 40,000 local residents who lack adequate health insurance. The St. Vincent de Paul Community Health Care Clinic and Pharmacy relies on volunteer doctors and nurses to provide free care to the uninsured, the homeless, the indigent.

Resources:

St. Vincent DePaul Community Pharmacy

St. Vincent DePaul Community Health Clinic

Neighborhood Health Clinic (Naples)

Volunteers in Medicine

Forum Topics:

111 Grassroots Activism - Crisis in Care

admin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:32:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Rod Clarke

When Southwest Florida's economy went into a tailspin, thousands found themselves out of work, out of health insurance and denied access to the health care system. Rather than wait for national reform, doctors and other medical professionals across the region took action to make sure the needy received the care they need.

Resources:

St. Vincent DePaul Community Pharmacy

St. Vincent DePaul Community Health Clinic

Neighborhood Health Clinic (Naples)

Volunteers in Medicine

Forum Topics:

110 Volunteering - Audio Live

admin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:32:00 GMT

110 Volunteering - Humane Societies

admin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:28:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Kristy Vaughn

Volunteering in a humane animal shelter is an easy way to help a dog or cat in need, as well as interact with people who are concerned for animal welfare. Getting involved is simple. Learn how the donation of time is important to the success of non-profit rescue shelters, such as The Gulf Coast Humane Shelter or For the Love of Cats, and discover how the work can enrich the lives of both volunteers and animals.

Resources:

The official site for Southwest Florida’s Humane Society.

The official site for For the Love of Cats, a kitten rescue shelter on Marco Island.

The official site for the Animal Refuge Center of Fort Myers

Find local pet adoptions, and read up on pet care tips.

Find animal shelters anywhere in the country.

Read about animal rescue, volunteer work, and pet adoptions on a national level.

http://www.animalrefuge.com/

Forum Topics:

110 Volunteering - Shy Wolf Sanctuary

admin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:25:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Rod Clarke

Since the dawn of man, Canis Lupus has been depicted as a loathsome beast to be feared, shunned and destroyed. But volunteers at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary in Naples have dedicated themselves to defending and befriending wolves, and say man would do well by emulating his long-time adversary rather than persecuting him.

Deanna Deppen
Rescue Services, Volunteer Coordinator
Admin@shywolfsanctuary.com

Resources:

Shy Wolf Sanctuary, Education & Experience Center

The Wolf is at the Door, Inc.

Florida Lupine Association

Forum Topics:

110 Volunteering - Wildlife Rehab Clinics

admin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:21:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Lynne Frazer

Two special hospitals in southwest Florida offer volunteers the chance to get up close and personal with the patients -- and these patients are really "wild." Sick and injured wild animals receive a second chance at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Naples, and the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, or CROW, on Sanibel. While most of the volunteer jobs are far from glamorous, the ultimate satisfaction is not the feeding, the nursing or the cleaning. It is the simple act of watching a wild thing go home again.

Resources:

www.conservancy.org

www.CROWCLINIC.org

Forum Topics:

109 Living Green - Audio Live

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:14:00 GMT

Growing and Eating Locally Produced Food

Mar. 24, 2008

Maybe you’ve heard the phrase…’local is the new organic’? Not only are many people becoming more conscious of what they’re eating, but also WHERE it came from. Join Jim McLaughlin for a discussion about growing and eating locally produced food. He’s joined by someone from Worden Farm in Charlotte County…and by the president of the local chapter of Slow Food - a worldwide organization that promotes organic, sustainable and local agriculture.

109 Living Green - Green Team

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:37:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Rosie Emery

Interested in knowing what young people in Southwest Florida are doing to protect the environment? The Green Team and the Monday Group are two groups that continue to engage and inspire their communities, as they work to protect and preserve the local landscape and challenge adults to become more environmentally sensitive.

Tylor Compton
The Sanibel Green team
(239) 410 9109
TylorSC@LeeSchools.Net

The Monday Group
Cindy Bear
Environmental Resource Teacher/Lee County(234) 275-3033
CindyLB@LeeSchools.Net Forum Topics:

109 Living Green - Local Organics

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:35:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Rosie Emery Food that is grown both organically and locally is becoming more and more available to Southwest Floridians. In addition to food, membership in a Community Based Agriculture Farm such as Worden Farm can provide other perks such as food workshops and a friendly community. A trip to your local Farmers Market is a fun outing complete with colorful characters, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables as well as other locally produced items. Resources:Naples Farmers Market:
http://naplesfarmersmarket.com/ Punta Gorda Farmers Market
http://www.wordenfarm.com

The Fort Myers Beach Market
Contact: Anita Cereceda
(239) 463-4293
E-mail: timessquarefmb@aol.com

Farms:Somerset Organic FarmsLaBelleCarl Ream – V.P. Sales239 253 6055www.somersetorganicfarms.com/ Worden FarmChris and Eva Worden(941) 637 4874office@wordenfarm.com Jenny and David Burd(239) 263 0424FriendlyBurds@aol.com To learn how to reduce your families carbon footprint: David Suzuki Foundationhttp://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/What_You_Can_Do/carbon_neutral.asp?source=WhatYouCanDo Forum Topics

109 Living Green - Affordable Green Housing

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:33:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Janina Birtolo Learn about Sustaining Tomorrow Today, an FGCU program that brings students and volunteers together to help create environmentally friendly affordable housing in Bonita Springs, clean up the Cocohatchee Estuary and design native plant gardens. Sustaining Tomorrow Today aims to preserve natural resources, benefit all who live in Southwest Florida and provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas. Resources:Sustaining Tomorrow Today: http://ruby.fgcu.edu/courses/jfitch Florida Green Building Coalition: www.floridagreenbuilding.org/db/Florida Green Communities: www.greencommunitiesonline.org/about/programs/florida.asp

U.S. Green Building Council: www.usbg.org/LEED/

National Association of Homebuilders Green Building Program: www.nahb.org

Estuary Conservation Association: www.estuaryconservation.org

Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program: www.fyn.ifas.ufl.eduFlorida Friendly Landscapint: www.floridayards.org (Great interactive yard design feature) Forum Topics:

Community Character - Audio Live

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:58:00 GMT

Community Character - Everglades City

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:57:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Chelle Koster Walton

If you ever doubt Southwest Florida boasts variety in its different communities, spend a day in Everglades City and Chokoloskee Island. These throwbacks to early Florida’s wild frontier and commercial fishing heyday beckon with funky seafood houses and their gateway to Everglades National Park.

Resources:

Everglades National Park, www.nps.gov/ever

Everglades Area Chamber of Commerce, www.florida-everglades.com/chamber The Mullet Rapper, www.evergladesmulletrapper.com

Everglades Area Tours, www.EvergladesAreaTours.com

Forum Topics:

Tell us about your Everglades adventures.

What’s your favorite Everglades City area restaurant?

Community Character - Arcadia

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:57:00 GMT

A small town surrounded by cattle farms and natural Florida…worth
exploring and antiquing…something for everyone in the hometown flavor of
Arcadia.

Community Character - Fort Myers Beach

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:55:00 GMT

Writer/Producer: Shawn Holiday

Explore the unique and colorful culture of Fort Myers Beach: Lovers’ Key,
Santini Marina Plaza, Beach Theater, The Mound House, Times Square, Old San
Carlos and Bowditch Point Regional Park.

Resources:

Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce
www.fmbchamber.org
17200 San Carlos Blvd Fort Myers Beach, Florida 33931
(239) 454-7500
Office Hours: M-F: 8am - 5pm,
Sat: 10am - 5pm,
Sun: 11am - 5pm

Town of Fort Myers Beach
www.fortmyersbeachfl.gov
2523 Estero Blvd.
Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
(239)765-0202

Mound House
www.moundhouse.org
A Cultural & Environmental Learning Center
289 Connecticut Ave.
(239) 765-0865
MoundHouse@FortMyersBeachFL.gov

Lover’s Key Recreational Area
http://www.floridastateparks.org/loverskey/
(239)463-4588

Bowditch Point Regional Park
http://www.leeparks.org/facility_info.cfm?Project_Num=0111
50 Estero Blvd.
Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
(239)765-6794

Lee County Visitors and Convention Bureau
http://www.fortmyers-sanibel.com
12800 University Drive, Suite 550
Fort Myers, FL 33907
239-338-3500
800-237-6444 (toll-free U.S./Canada)

Media

www.fort-myers-beach-observer.com

Small Businesses - Audio Live

admin — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:50:00 GMT